Green Card Renewal from Outside the United States

If you’re outside the U.S. and realize your green card is expiring or missing, it’s impossible to renew or replace it. However, there are ways to return to the U.S. after temporary travel abroad, as U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) doesn’t support renewals from outside the U.S.

𝑴𝒚 𝒈𝒓𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒅 𝒊𝒔 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒊𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝑰’𝒎 𝒊𝒏 𝒂𝒏𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒚.
If your green card expires while traveling outside the U.S., renew it upon returning to the U.S. The card remains valid for U.S. ports of entry until the card expires. To maintain permanent resident status, return within a year of departure. Renew the card by filing Form I-90 and attending a mandatory USCIS biometric appointment.

𝑴𝒚 𝒈𝒓𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒅 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒊𝒓𝒆𝒅, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑰’𝒎 𝒐𝒖𝒕𝒔𝒊𝒅𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑼.𝑺. 𝒐𝒏 𝒂 𝒕𝒆𝒎𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒂𝒓𝒚 𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒑.
An expired green card holder who has been outside the US for less than a year may be able to return as scheduled but may face issues.
– 𝐵𝑜𝑎𝑟𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎 𝑇𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑠𝑝𝑜𝑟𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝐶𝑎𝑟𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑟
Transportation carriers must check passengers for passports and visas before bringing them to the United States. Permanent residents can use a green card or reentry permit instead of a visa. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) policy allows carriers to board a permanent resident with an expired green card if they have either a 10-year expiration date or a 2-year expiration date and a Notice of Action. Contact your airline or vessel first for more information.
– 𝑈.𝑆. 𝑃𝑜𝑟𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝐸𝑛𝑡𝑟𝑦
Using an expired green card at a U.S. port of entry may cause issues, with CBP officers deciding on reentry and likely requiring a reentry fee and filing Form I-90 for renewal.

𝑴𝒚 𝒈𝒓𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒅 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒊𝒓𝒆𝒅, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑰’𝒗𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒐𝒖𝒕𝒔𝒊𝒅𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑼.𝑺. 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏 𝒂 𝒚𝒆𝒂𝒓.
The issue lies in a permanent resident’s one-year absence from the US, likely abandoning their status, with potential exceptions for certain individuals.
– 𝑅𝑒𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑟𝑦 𝑃𝑒𝑟𝑚𝑖𝑡
A reentry permit allows up to two years of temporary outside the US, and if valid and unexpired, a reentry permit can be obtained.
– 𝑅𝑒𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑅𝑒𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑉𝑖𝑠𝑎
Extraordinary circumstances outside your control, such as medical issues or pandemic shutdowns, may qualify you for a returning resident (SB-1) visa, requiring consultation with an immigration attorney.
Individuals absent from the U.S. for over a year without exceptions may need to apply for a green card, with U.S. citizens or permanent residents filing Form I-130 for an alien relative.

𝑴𝒚 𝒈𝒓𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒅 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒐𝒓 𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒍𝒆𝒏 𝒐𝒖𝒕𝒔𝒊𝒅𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑼.𝑺.
If your green card is lost, stolen, or destroyed while traveling abroad, you need documentation to board a transportation carrier and support your admission at the U.S. port of entry. File Form I-131A with the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate.
Form I-131A is used for requesting carrier documentation for temporary overseas travel less than one year, where a green card has been lost, stolen, or destroyed, or a reentry permit has been lost, stolen, or destroyed.

𝑹𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒘 𝒐𝒓 𝒓𝒆𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒆 𝒂 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒅 𝒐𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒃𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑼.𝑺.
USCIS prohibits green card renewal from outside the US. Upon return, use Form I-90 to renew or replace your green card, as replacing a card can be lengthy.